How much comedy is too much comedy? The more the better, isn’t it? In a world full of despair, laughter is the best medicine. And Chennai seems to be absolutely believing in that, for the city has been churning out fresh talent in the comedy circuit. Giving these artistes a platform to hone their skill further is Comedy Combo — a line-up stand-up show of seven artistes with each getting 10 minutes of stage time to make their audiences laugh and, of course, laugh along. Comedy is best enjoyed when one can laugh at their own jokes.
In its fourth edition, the line-up includes Yogesh Jagannathan (Yogi), J Vanshitha, Harihara Suthan, Krithin Kumar, Rithvik Narayan, Shyam Ganesh, and Prabhu Krishnamoorthy.
J Vanshitha
When was the first time you felt you could be a stand-up comedian?
When people started reacting and laughing for the witty speeches I gave, I realised I like making people laugh as it brought me genuine happiness.
How would you define comedy?
Comedy is the overflow of mixed emotions of sadness and happiness inherent in me that strikes a chord between the audience and me. It is also the simplest way to charm people.
Harihara Suthan
Which is the one joke of yours that has always worked with the crowd?
It is about the dual meaning of sakkarai. You see, in Tirunelveli slang, it means something quite different from its usual meaning of sugar.
Why did you choose to become a standup comedian?
I love to make people laugh. I feel proud when they tell me that the way I talk makes them laugh, so I thought if I try stand-up comedy, it will work out for me. That’s the reason I chose to be a stand-up comedian.
Krithin Kumar
You get 10 minutes on stage, and you don’t know what jokes could work with the audience. What would be the ice-breaking line you will use?
Before going up on the stage, I try to figure out the room, the setting, the audience; I try to talk about that or do a short, quick crowd-work to begin with.
What is a ‘never ever’ for you in comedy?
There’s a thin line between being offensive and funny. But I will never ever do ‘punching down’ comedy (making jokes on victims).
Rithvik Narayan
How did your journey into comedy start?
I started hitting open mics. That, along with facing awkward silences and the occasional sound of laughter, was how I would say my journey into comedy started.
What kind of jokes do you enjoy listening to? And are they different from the ones that you crack?
I enjoy watching dark comedy stand-up specials. My jokes, on the contrary, are based around the experiences I have encountered or observed.
Prabhu Krishnamoorthy
An embarrassing moment while performing...
While performing at an open mic, I said, ‘Life is not that valuable’, and I engaged with a member in the audience, who said, “I am a cancer survivor and my son is studying medicine.”
If only a joke could save you, what would it be?
I joke a lot about family dynamics. I would definitely pick up one from there. Family jokes always work.
Shyam Ganesh
What was the first joke you ever wrote? And how did you come up with that?
The first joke I wrote was regarding how men do the most weirdest things trying to impress women. I am in my early 20s now, so that’s the kind of topics people my age primarily focus on.
As an upcoming artiste, what are you looking at doing different?
I am targeting people my age with whom my thoughts resonate. As I grow, people my age will also grow, and my views will change.
Yogesh Jagannathan
Yogesh Jagannathan, better known by his stage name Yogi, is not new to comedy. He was a runners-up at Comicstan Tamil (2020). Yogi, also popular as the ‘encyclopedia of Tamil comedy’, is credited with changing people’s perception around Tamil comedy. They say, one can sell a thought in English, but to punch up a joke, one needs to resort to the regional language. Yogi changed the narrative making the audience believe that one can also sell thoughts in Tamil. Watch out as he cracks you up!
Tickets start at Rs 299.
May 18, 6 pm.
At Fika, Adyar.
Email: rupam@newindianexpress.com
X: @rupsjain